BLOEMFONTEIN – An enterprise stokvel runner, Lebohang Mokatedi (31), will serve 10 years of a 15-year prison sentence following his sentencing by the Bloemfontein Regional Court. He was sentenced on Thursday 15 October for defrauding several people through his company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd.
The sentencing followed probing involving the Bloemfontein-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit, and police detectives from Bloemspruit and Botshabelo.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Mokatedi was convicted on 8 October on counts of fraud, theft, and money laundering with his company sentenced to a
R1 million fine. She said the court suspended five years each for both Mokatedi and his company with strict condition. Matoti said the condition is that he is not convicted of the same offence and the company is not convicted of a cybercrime-related fraud offence during the period of suspension.
The case stemmed from his failure to refund victims their money after he vanished during December 2024, leaving them in distress.
Matoti said: “During 2024, Mokatedi introduced a “Christmas” stokvel, enticing unsuspecting members to join by promising them groceries, alcoholic beverages, household items and relish ingredients at the end of the year. They were required to contribute monthly amounts ranging from R100 to R500.”
They paid the amounts for six months and confirmed receiving their items at the initial stage of the scheme. Originating from Botshabelo, Mokatedi introduced the multi-pronged scheme early in 2024, after registering it in November 2023. He operated from the Botshabelo Multipurpose Centre.
During the early stages of the case, it emerged that a certain number of people failed to keep up with payments, resulting in the stokvel experiencing difficulty. Its demise came in December 2024 when Mokatedi disappeared. He was arrested in KuGompo City (East London), Eastern Cape, following an extensive search involving the use of social media.
It emerged during the initial stage of case, that about 297 dockets were registered at police stations in Botshabelo and 100 dockets in Bloemfontein. Victims provided proof of payment. Potential success of the stokvel saw Mokatedi open three branches – in Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, and Thaba Nchu. He had enlisted staff comprising three branch managers and sales consultants to service clients. Mokatedi was granted bail with conditions and was initially represented by Adv. Machini Motloung.
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